Making Lefse...

Today Princess Pea and I went with my 2nd brother's wife out to her mom's house to make lefse. We had such a GREAT time! Lefse is a Norwegian type of flatbread made from mashed potatoes. You roll it out and fry it on a griddle. It is delicious with butter and sugar, but we also put meatballs and gravy, or turkey, or ham, or whatever you have available on it! Delicious! But as you can see, it is a lot of work. You can only make one at a time (unless you have more than one griddle). And it makes a big mess! LOL But oh was it fun!!

Princess Pea preparing to do battle with the potatoes!

It was a rainy, gloomy, dreary, chilly day! The perfect day to be inside and spend time with family making delicious food!  

My Sis in Law Janet getting some potatoes ready to be rolled.

I had only made lefse one other time and was looking forward to re-learning and practicing my skills with the rolling pin and turner! 

 

Princess Pea working the griddle.

 Princess Pea had never made lefse before and had a good time trying all the steps!

Princess Pea with her cousin Becca working as a team!

 Becca and Pea are first cousins but more like sisters. They have spent a lot of time together over the years and adore each other!


Princess Pea working on a game with her cousin Jeff

Pea and Jeff played on my smart phone when she got tired of rolling and turning. They were playing a game where you try to figure out all the company logos.    







When you make lefse, you need lots of mashed potatoes. They get mixed with other ingredients, including flour, sugar, and even 7-UP (depending on what recipe you use!) Then they get shaped into a "log" and put in the refrigerator to chill and firm up. 



  

My sister in law Janet rolling

The potatoes then get rolled on a pastry cloth until they are very thin!


Tabitha rolling out the potatoes

The potatoes get very large after they are rolled (almost like a pie crust) and you need a turner to lift it too keep rolling until it is the size you need.

Rolling the potatoes out onto the griddle

You also need the turner to put the potatoes onto the griddle. The griddle is very hot (500° or so) and you need the turner to handle the large lefse piece.

Potatoes on the griddle cooking!

 The lefse is cooked until it starts to bubble and then turned over (again using the turner).



My sister in law Val manning the other griddle

We had two griddles going and 3 pastry boards.



The finished product

 You put the fresh lefse in a thick bath towel to keep the moisture in.

We really had a lot of fun learning how to make lefse and spending time with family. There were a lot of laughs and hugs and giggles. Flour flew, lefse broke (we use those as taste test samples) and lots of love!

Thanks to Grandma Kathy and Janet for including us in their day!



 

Canning

Hello! So, we are busy settling into our new house and it's finally looking more like a home. There are still boxes filling the basement and bits and pieces lying around, but for the most part, we are getting comfortable!

One of the things I was looking forward to most about having a house was being able to can, and put up food for the winter. In the trailer, I just didn't have the room to store anything. Here we have a basement and shelves to put things up.

So, last Saturday, I took a couple roasts I had and some potatoes a friend gave me and made two huge pots of beef vegetable soup. I ended up getting six quarts and four pints!  I am so excited with my first attempt!

 

Now tonight, Honey is busy making salsa. So far only 3 pints but it turned out fantastic!

 

 

 

 

I have 2 whole chickens in the freezer and 5lbs of hamburger just waiting in the freezer for this weekend. Chicken soup and Chili coming up! After that, we will have to see what the next experiment will be. Anyone have any good canning recipes to share???

 

Time to head off to get some other things done. I have a few projects up my sleeve that I will try to post soon!

 

God Bless!

 



 

Election Day

So today is Election Day. The day that our soldiers, airmen, marines and sailors have worked so hard to give us. They fight for our rights to elect our leaders.

I pray God's hand of blessing on each and every one of them!

I voted - #326 in my presinct. Did you vote? For those that didn't, you have no right to complain about the outcome!

Tonight I pray for our nation's future and for the leadership that will take us there.

Wishing you all a fabulous evening!

Time Flies!!!

First of a new month again already! The turning of a calendar and another month is gone, never to return. Why is it that the older we get, the faster time goes? It feels as though school just started and yet here we are past Halloween already! (OK, only by a couple days, but it IS over!) I am definitely not OK with how quickly my life is going by. It feels like it was just yesterday that my babies were mere toddlers and now here I am staring a graduation from high school in the face.

I want to take time with both hands and just stop it. I want t scream at it to slow down to shift into revers, let me stop spinning! I want to catch my breath before my baby girl gets married. I want to have more time with my babies before they start bringing home theirs. I want to savor every moment, to taste and sell and hear and touch every single thing that makes up life. I want to relish every God-given joy that comes my way. I want to dance and sing and laugh like no one's watching. And even if they are, WHO CARES!

I don't want to go to my grave regretting what I did, or even worse, what I DIDN'T do. When I am old and gray and sitting in my rocking chair, I want to have wonderful stories to tell my grandchildren. And better yet, I want to give my children and grandchildren stories of their own to share! "Remember the time we...." Fill in the blank with anything and everything you can imagine.

Time goes so fast! It flies, it speeds, it zings right past you and if you don't grab it, slow it down, take a breath, it will be gone before you have a chance to blink. And I don't want to miss a second of it. It's the only one I have!

 

So, my darling friends, my advice to you today, is to dance in the rain, jump in the leaves, bake cookies, tickle your children, cover your spouse and family with love, kisses, hugs, and prayers. Soak in every glorious moment and when you bow your head at night, thank Him for every love soaked, God-given treasure of the day! What a joyful way to live, and maybe, just maybe, if we are very lucky, time will slow for just a bit!

 

Plans for the weekend!

What a busy weekend we have! Again! I love that my kids and family are involved in so many activites; however, I wish there were times I could just be home and didn't have to run them everywhere. Ooooo, that sound's a lot like whining! Better knock that off right now and add a few more things to my Gift List.....

- for the ability to participate in my kids lives and activities...
- for my kids choosing activities rather than drugs, alcohol, partying, or crime.
- for warm sweaters
- for helping me set a positive example for my daughter
- for giving me people to look up to
- for a healthy and safe pregnancy for a co-worker's wife.

There, that sure helps! Adding joy gifts to my list always make me see things in a different perspective! now, looking at the calendar, I see it will be another busy weekend! Tonight Cookie Monster plays in the pit band for the musical at the high school and we are all going to see it, including my Dad and his wife and my Sister-in-Law and niece. I need time to go grocery shopping too so I can do some massive baking/cooking for the freezer and canning. We still have ti organize and put away so many boxes and items in the new house....It's like they are EVERYWHERE!! Oh wait....they are! And Honey brought home more furniture from his storage locker last night that we need to find room for! On Sunday we have church and a birthday party for my niece turning 17. Cookie Monster plays pit band all weekend too! Whew...Calgon take me away!!!!

After all the activity of this fall, I am kind of looking forward to the quiet cozy homebound-ness of winter. When the snow falls and drifts over and everyone huddles together at home and the crazy chaos stops for a little while and the world becomes quiet. I know that once the kids are gone, the craziness will be gone too and I will miss them and ache for this season of my life. But right now, I just want to rest and to spend time enjoying my new home ***SIGH*** I guess that is not in the "Plan" right now, so Lord, give me strength and lead me on.

Happy Halloween!!!

I hope you all had a Happy Halloween! We spent the night on the front yard with a bon fire handing out candy. Princess Pea went trick or treating with a couple of her girlfriends and Cookie Monster had pit band practice for the musical. Honey and I sat and drank hot cocoa and chatted with the neighbors! Now I am off to bed...3:30 AM was a little too early to be up this morning and I still haven't warmed up.

 

Tonight I am so thankful...

 

...for warm blankets

 

...for beautiful, thoughtful neighbors

 

...for Grace

 

...for kisses good bye

 

...for purring kitties

 

Good night dear friends.....Sending thoughts and prayers to all those affected by Hurricane Sandy. So many friends and family out there....

 

God Bless...

 

Sheila

 

Rushing Rushing

Sorry I had to rush off so quickly earlier. I was hoping to have time to publish a proper post, unfortunately one of my many commitments called me away. I hope you enjoyed the pictures of Autumn here in our little valley. It was absolutely stunning this year. The leaves were glorious and the sun kept shining. We have only had a few days of rain making it easier for the farmers to get in all the crops before the snow flies.

The farmer behind our house was out on a Saturday, combining the soy beans and his big red combine looked so pretty against the colorful hills I couldn't help but take some pictures.

 

It seems that I didn't even really have time to enjoy the autumn this year, which makes me really sad because it is my absolutely favorite time of year! Things have been so busy here that I feel like I can't keep up some days. We are finally moved into our house (well we have a few things left in storage yet). We have also been enjoying our very large yard!

 

 

Isn't it beautiful????
The kids have been busy too! Cookie Monster is a Senior this year (where did THAT time go????) So of course everything is his last and Mama won't miss a thing. We have had football pepband, concerts and parades. I really will miss going to watch him.  And of course there are Senior Pictures too!

 

And let's not forget about Princess Pea with all her friends and activities - dance classes, girl scouts, Middle School Mentors, and gymnastics. Like I said, I can barely keep up!

 

Mama is also busy. I am Secretary of the Board for our local festival (Syttende Mai) this year and and Co-Chair of the Art and Craft Show! That means I have to visit other Craft Shows....Oh Darn!! Tee Hee!

We also took a family trip to Minneapolis over Labor Day weekend and took in the Renessaince Festival and Sea Life at the Mall of America

 

And my little brother got married in September!!!

 

 

Whew!!!!  As you can see, we have had a very busy Autumn here in our little valley. I am hoping to add more pictures of all these activities in the near future!  But for now my friends, I must head for bed.

 

I will close with a few things from my Gifts List for today...

 

- for keeping friends and family on the East Coast safe through the storm

 

- for letting me wake another day

 

- for frost on the windshield

 

- for allowing my daughter to feel like she can come tell me anything

 

- for letting me miss the deer on the road this evening.

 

- for snuggle time in the morning

 

Good night dear friends....God Bless

 



Autumn in the Valley





Hi Friends, I don't have much time but wanted to post a few pictures of Autumn here in the Valley. Is it any wonder why I love living here?

 

 

 

 

New Clothes

Last night I went shopping for some clothes for work. I haven't needed office attire for several years and my closet is looking rather bare for something to wear in the cooler autumn weather. I found a beautiful plum colored sweater set at my favorite store and a gorgeous, soft scarf to match. I spent quite a bit of money on it and decided to wear it to work today.

The minute I put it on, I felt it; that deep seated confidence a woman feels when she loves what she is wearing and it makes her feel beautiful! This simple sweater set and scarf makes me feel pretty! As I was sitting at my desk smiling, I realized people where noticing! My boss, my co-workers, the janitors, all smiled back and said hi. Some even stopped for a bit of a chat.

Now I am not an unfriendly sort.  I smile, I laugh, and I like to visit, but there was something about today that  pushed it over the top.  It was the way I felt on the inside and it got me thinking.

If a simple set of clothes can make people notice how I feel, imagine what would happen if I let my love for Jesus and the relationship I have with Him, shine through as well. Would people notice that too? I believe they would!

If i clothe myself in the words of the Lord, letting them seep and settle into my soul, would they shine back out at the world?

Just a note on what I  am learning on this wonderful journey!

God's Blessings on you all....

Move Complete!

*Huge Sigh of Relief* The big move is over! Well at least most of it.  All the furniture but the desk and shelving unit are in the house. Well the couch and living room chair are in the porch but....

What a lot of work! It has been 8 years since the last time I moved and then I had vary little. I was just starting out  on my adventure as a single parent and was left with half a household. Of course, as I replaced the other half and my children grew, so did my possessions.

I am so grateful to my nephew and to my bestie! Without them we would not have been able to do it over a single weekend. I took Friday off to pack and Honey was home too. We packed and hauled 3 loads in our Jeeps and rented a U-Haul truck for Saturday. There are still bits and pieces to be moved. I'm hoping we can finish that tonight!

Cookie Monster is coming to mow the yard one last time and Honey is going to weed-whip. Princess Pea and I will be inside packing and cleaning.  Walk through and inspection is Friday afternoon.

I just want it done! To be settled. To enjoy this beautiful  autumn we are having. I want to relax, to sit and read a book on my new front porch swing, or work on a craft (thanks to Pinterest my creativity is overflowing).  It seems so long since I have been able to do any of that. I have moved 3 households this summer and I'm tired of it. Now that I'm in my dream house, I'm not moving again if I can help it! 

I'm so sorry for whining. I just wanted to give you all an update. I'm hoping to get pics posted soon but we are without internet this week and its difficult to post from my smartphone. But soon I promise!

Until then...May God Bless Your Comings and Goings!

Much joy to you all....

Mixed Emotions

Well...it's here....moving weekend! Yes, I know, it's only Thursday. I took a vacation day tomorrow to try to get everything done. Ha! I also have to squeeze in a doctors appointment and a trip to take the kiddos to their dads (a 5 hour excursion).

And in this, the beginning of a new chapter of my life, I am having some very mixed emotions. I am sad that we are leaving our drafty old trailer with the broken windows that don't open and the threadbare carpet. It is the home I moved my babies to when I began my life as a single parent almost exactly 8 years ago. It is where my daughter started school and my son brought his first girlfriend. It is where we have made Christmas cookies, carved pumpkins, played board games and made snowmen. It is where she learned to read and he learned to drive. There have been dreams, hopes, adventures and laughter. We have also grieved the loss of loved ones and prayed through the illnesses of others. We have worshipped,  we have grown,  and we have loved.

When we first moved in, I saw it as a stepping stone on the path to something better.  We were going to have a nice house in the country, with animals and a big garden. At first it was temporary, only a trailer house. It was my sweet daughter who reminded me that this trailer was the only home she could remember living in. Then it hit me, this is HOME! And now I am sad to be leaving it.

But leaving it we are. We move into a new home this weekend. One that us familiar  to all of us and yet new and strange. It is a house we have all spent a great deal if time in and holds many fond memories. It is my childhood home and to my kids, its "Grandma's House".

We are all really excited about the move. We will have a large home that feels more permanent.  It is a place they can be proud of with neighbors who are more like family. Some of them have lived there since my parents moved in 35 years ago! We now have a huge yard with room for a garden and flowers and grapes. Room for a tire swing and a fire pit. We have a screened in porch, a beautiful view and a basement for storms.

Not only are we excited for this, but the rest of the family is as well. Something was lost when my dad remarried after my mom died and then moved to a smaller house. I feel like I am giving that something back, to my siblings and to the grandchildren.  I'm giving them back "HOME". It's that place to gather with loved ones, for coffee and cookies or for Christmas and Easter. That place in everyone's heart where they feel like they belong.

So it is with mixed feelings that I take this next step. It is good and it will be blessed, but there is an ache in my heart none the less.

Stepping out in faith

<p>This morning I was listening to Pastor Chuck Smith in my local Christian radio station, just as I do every morning on the way to work. Pastor Chuck is working his way through the Bible verse by verse, something I've never done. I enjoy his teaching and he makes it easy to understand!</p>
<p>So right now we are in 1Samuel learning about the life of King David. How Pastor Chuck interpreted the story of David and Goliath really hit home for me! When David stepped forward to battle Goliath,  David was nothing more than a boy and yet David knew that the Lord was with him. David stepped out in faith!

Have you ever cowered in fear rather than do something your heart is yearning for? Have you ever hidden yourself or passed on a challenge thinking "That giant is too big for me?" I know I have!

But in a few short days I will be stepping out in faith, after many prayers and petitions. I will be moving into my parents home, renting with intent to buy asap!

There are many unanswered questions, but I know they will be answered in His time.

In the meantime, I am stepping out in faith! I hope you do too! Good night!

Thankfulness - Gratefulness - For All That Is Today...

I read Ann Voskamp's Book One Thousand Gifts a year ago and absolutely fell in love with it.(You can find it here...One Thousand Gifts ) I really love her style of writing and her way of making me see things in a different, more grateful light. I followed her blog for quite some time and have even given her book as a gift because I loved it so very much.

Then came the "Lull". That time in my life where all things spiritual, internal and good ceased or were put on hold and I went into pure survival mode. I lost my way, I lost my footing and I lost my essence. It is now that I am trying to find my way back. I am looking to find the person that I once was, full of those things I once treasured, spirituality, creativity, patience, thankfulness and gratefulness.

I need to learn to be Thankful and Grateful again. There was a time when I looked at everything with a grateful heart and could feel the Lover of my soul moving in me, in my heart, turning it, molding it and making it into what He wanted me to be. I want to be there again.

So during this, my "Revival", I have turned back to Ann (and other Sisters in Faith) for guidence, uplifting and prayer, to remind me to be Thankful and to be Grateful for what is, this very moment. This moment in time when things may not seem to be what I want, but are moving more in a direction of where they need to go to get me there.

So while I started one a while ago, I am revisiting my own One Thousand Gifts list...Starting back at one, at the beginning, I've come back to where I need to be...

#1 The Lord blesses me every day with breathe to live and food to survive and shelter to stay warm and dry.

#2  I have been given the two greatest gifts that could ever be placed on my heart, my Cookie Monster and my Princess Pea

#3  The sky is a beautiful robin's egg blue and I have wonderous eyes to see it with.

#4  A beatuiful paperweight filled with deep red blown glass, ever spiraling, reaching for the peak, a birthday gift, humbly given by the hand of the oldest child

#5  Moving to the home of my childhood, memories rushing in, soul settling down. I am home.....

#6  While I may not forget, I am able to forgive

#7  Sticky counters, the aftermath of a baking frenzy of Princess Pea

#8  A family separated by miles, connected by souls

#9  A chance to continue my education, in a way that is most beneficial and convenient for me.

#10  An employer who sees the big picture and accepts me for who I am and the talents I bring.

A start, to count my blessings, to be grateful for the things taken for granted. May God Bless and Keep each and every one of you....

Love
Sheila

New Addiction

OK, so I have to 'fess up to my latest addiction.....Pintrest....I wasn't going to go there...I really wasn't. I don't have time for purusing the web, looking at all these adorable crafts / home decorations / photography ideas floating out there for anyone to see. I'm moving, I'm painting, I'm packing, I'm working, kids are going back to school and so is Honey. I don't have TIME for this, BUT....

I have found the absolute sweetest / cutest /adorable-est ideas for the new house. I can't WAIT to get started! The best part is I will finally have the room to indulge in my passion to create / reuse / repurpose! I have a basement, a crafting space, a HUGE closet to store things in, a garage AND a shed! I can paint, repurpose furniture, scrapbook, sew, knit, crochet, bake, to my heart's content!

So, back to Pintrest, I have found the cutest furniture to make from other's cast offs and I am so excited because it is stuff I can do! When Dad moved out, he left some furniture behind for me, including chairs, a dresser, an old high chair, shelving units, picture frames, glass jars and an old wooden bed frame. Also, he gave my daughter my old bed and dresser (which are in much better condition than hers are) but that means I get to repurpose her old stuff! Look for some benches, ottomans, and other things coming soon! I am so incredibly excited!

I also found adorable aprons, curtains, and holiday decorating ideas that are perfect for my style! Ugh, so many projects running through my mind!! Can't wait to get settled so I can get started on some of these!

Have any of you been sucked in by Pintrest? How about Etsy? I haven't been on that site much but I am thinking of making some stuff and trying to sell it for some extra cash...how has it worked for you?

Better run here...lots to do!
May the Lord Bless you and Keep you this and every day!

Sheila...

Monday Morning...

Good Monday Morning my Lovlies....

What a gorgeous shout of summer we are having here in the midwest! It is a beautiful sunny day, with temps in the mid to upper 80s! While I love my job, it's days like today that I wish I could be home. I have this big beautiful yard that is crying out for a loving touch. It has been neglected and had only the bare minimum done for so long. My dad isn't able to do much yardwork these days other than ride the lawn mower. I'm looking forward to cleaning out some flower beds and updating and prepping them for planting now or in the spring! I have crocus and lilies and daffodils and irises and tulips to put in this fall! I love flowers and can't wait for the gardens to spring to life again!

I am also anxious to get my veggie garden planned (and the fruit that I want to put in). I have to get the location prepped and staked and then have someone come down and till it for me! Honey has been working hard on getting the compost bin up and running and discovered a rhubarb plant and asparagus too! Woot woot! And my Daddy left me all of my Mama's canning jars in the basement so you know what I will be doing next time at this year! Corn, green beans, peas, carrots, onions, cucumbers, pumpkins, beets, and more. Planning on dill, chives,  peppermint, and other herbs as well. Putting in grapes, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries as I am able! And eventually apple and pear trees!! So many plans! What are your favorite fruits or veggies to plant and grow???

I am also working hard priming/painting at the new house. So far we have used 8 1/2 gallons of primer on 3 bedrooms and a hall! The colors were so dark! I would paint everything white or cream if I could! And I just might! LOL! I just painted my bedroom Marshmellow White yesterday, but I am thinking it is a bit too bright and may have to tone it down a bit! 

My mind is just flying with ideas in the craft department as well. It's like now that I know I will have my own place again, I am waking up! The trailer I live in now is so dark and depressing! It sucks all the energy out of me the minute I step foot through the door! My Dad's house (now MY house) is just the opposite. I worked for 10 hours straight both Sat. and Sun. painting and felt TERRIFIC! I have so many ideas!

The front porch will be red, white, and blue Americana, and the back porch will be pink, green and cream, antique-y flowery, lacey, girlie for sitting and having tea with my girlfriends! I can't WAIT! I have ideas to make, my creativity has been unleashed! Decorating ideas...Craft ideas....Happy ideas...I'm so glad to be home!

Well back to work here! Planning on posting the "before" pictures later tonight!

God Bless!

Testing...

So here is a picture of Princess Pea's new room...I am trying to learn how to post from my smart phone and put in pictures.
Maybe it will help me post more often.

In other news, I broke my left pinkie toe last night on a box of books! Imagine that...me with a box of books. More like 10 boxes (or more).

Well time for Friday night football. Cookie Monster's first pepband as a Senior! The first of the lasts!

God Bless!

I'm back...

Oh my gosh, so much has happened in my life and I have been so busy that my blogging fell by the wayside. You know, you get to the point that you just get SO incredibly busy that something has to give. For me it was this. Things here are still busy, but I have been visiting a few of my favorite blogs and have realized how very much I have missed this! The sense of community, of sharing, of togetherness.

So, to catch you all up a bit...In February, my Honey retired from 23 years of service to our country. In May, he retired from his position with the National Guard. His job depended on him being a soldier and once he retired from that, he had to retire from the other.  He has moved up to my house. While the original plan was for him to stay with me until he could find his own place, circumstances have changed and we will now be moving in together, which I will go into in a little while.

Then in March, I was let go from my job. While it was an actual blessing, due to severely stressful working conditions, it did extremely limit my lifestyle and my income. I took a couple of months to regroup, taking photos where I could to make some extra money, and then blessedly found a job in mid-June. It is a much less stressful job, with more pay and better benefits. Farther from home, but worth the trade off.

In the meantime, during my time off, I ended up moving several people, besides my Honey. One of them being my father. He and his new wife decided that their 2 story, full basement, 2 lot home was simply too much for them to care for any more and they needed to downsize. Thankfully, they allowed us 4 kids to come in and lay claim to a few things that were especially treasured. Quilts from my grandmother! Pictures! Beautiful china! I was so excited to have the items, yet so incredibly sad to see my childhood home being prepared for new owners, strangers, to come and live within the walls. The day they moved out was a heart wrenching ordeal for all of us!

A few weeks later, my two older brothers came to me seperately and suggested that I buy dad's house. I told them that I was not in a place to buy a house yet because I had just started my job and was still on a probabationary period. They kept pressing the issue. So I talked to my Honey and he mentioned that maybe my dad would be willing to rent the house to me until such time as I could get a mortgage. I mulled the thought for several days and decided that maybe it was just what I needed. So I approached my dad with my plan and of course right away he was full of excuses why it wouldn't work. But after a week of him checking things out and mulling it over, he came to me and said he would let me. I tell you, I could have just about jumped to Heaven! I was going to be living in my house, my mom's house, the family home! I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I couldn't hold back the tears!

So the last few weeks have been a whirlwind of packing, painting, priming, cleaning, moving. Ugh...such a mess! But so very worth it! The house is 3 bedrooms with 1 bathroom.It has a front screened in porch with a porch swing perfect for sultry summer nights listening to crickets and watching fireflies. It also has a 3 season porch on back, perfect for my sewing/craft/reading room! It is 100 years old and sits on 2 lots! So much room! There is a garden, compost bin and lots of room for flowers. I want to put in raspberries, rhubarb, and some apple trees! Not only are my kids and I ecstatic over this, my brothers and neices and nephews are as well. In fact, 2 of my nephews came to the house last weekend for the first time in over 6 months. They were there 2 out of 3 days and just couldn't stop smiling! I will be posting pictures soon!

While Honey and I are trying to make it our home together, there have been some MAJOR speed bumps along the way and it may not work after all. We have been together for 7 years and there has been more arguing since he moved in with me than in all the years prior combined! I hate it! I miss what we had and wish it hadn't changed. I keep praying to God to show me my path and continue to trust in Him.

So, with all that being said, I also feeling a bit down. I turned 43 a week or so ago and I look at where my life is as opposed to where I wanted it to be. For so many years, I have wanted to live a more simple, self sufficient lifestyle and yet, where am I? Stuck where I was 10 years ago. :-( So I have renewed my efforts to become debt-free and self sufficient. I am also refraining from buying anything new, instead resorting to thrift/second hand stores. The only thing being undergarments, shoes and food (maybe a couple of other personal items as well). If I am going to live the life I have always dreamed and now have the house to do it in, now is the time to start. And if, God forbid, Honey and I's relationship falls apart and I have to go it alone, I need to be in a place financially so that I do not lose the family home.

Enough for now....I will try very hard to keep posting more, including pictures so you all can see progress! Wait till you see!! Such gloriously exciting times! Praise God for his abundance!

Return...

Hello Everyone,

I am so sorry for my extended absence on my blog. I love to write here but sometimes life takes over and there just isn't time for everything!

So, what's going on over here in my neck of the woods?  Well, let's see...

My new semester started in school a couple weeks ago. I am having a tough time going because it really isn't what I want to be doing right now, but I cannot afford the student loan payments right now. I am paying on them every month, trying to get them down to a more manageable level, but until that happens, I have to keep going to school. This semester will be really challenging as I am working on a large academic research project. It is taking 2 semesters to complete and will be a huge focus for me the next 14 weeks. I will also be adding a 7 week class in Mid-March on the Principles of Christian Theology. I am really looking forward to that class.

The Cookie Monster is busy as well. Pep band plays several nights a week and he wouldn't miss it for the world! He also made the Dorian Festival this year. Dorian is held at Luther College in Iowa and it consists of hundreds of band students from across the Midwest. Band members are nominated by their band director. It is 2 days of practicing as ensembles and as a full band culminating in a concert. I aim so proud of him! It is an honor to be nominated and selected! He also made Honor's Band this year. All this as only a Junior!

And as for Princess Pea, I can hardly keep up with her! She takes 4 dance lessons a week and will be adding 2 more next week. She is in Hobby Club after school 2 days a week. Every day in Hobby Club, they are taught a new hobby. These can incude anything from sledding to baking to knitting to model rockets.  She also has Girl Scouts one night a month!! And to top it all off, tomorrow is her birthday! So of course we have to find time for Birthday Parties!!

My Sweet Honey is busy as well! He will be retiring out of the National Guard at the end of February. He is ok with the change in his life circumstances as it will allow him to finally pursue his dreams of finishing school himself! And the best part is that he has been accepted to a college that is near me! We will finally be living close together!

We have decided at this time to not move in together. We feel that maintaining separate households for now is what is best for our children. There are a lot of issues involved and a lot of thought and discussion went into our decision.

So now that I have gotten all caught up, what is going on with everyone else?